Retail turnover over 3 percent up in 2018

15/02/2019 15:00
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that the Dutch retail sector achieved 3.3 percent turnover growth in 2018. The volume of sales increased by 2.8 percent. Turnover grew in the food as well as in the non-food sector. Furthermore, online sales increased by almost 18 percent. In the month of December, turnover grew by 2.3 percent.

Retail turnover data have been adjusted for changes in the shopping-day pattern. Retail sales tend to vary from one day to the next. If the shopping-day pattern is not taken into account, retail turnover in December 2018 was 0.9 percent higher than in the same month one year previously.

Second highest turnover growth after 2006

The Dutch retail sector realised 3.3 percent turnover growth in 2018. This is the second highest turnover growth since 2007, when turnover grew by 4.2 percent.

After the record high in 2008, retail turnover reached a low in 2013. This was followed by an upward trend. In 2018, turnover generated by the non-food sector was still 13 percent lower than before the crisis. In the food sector, on the other hand, turnover was more than 18 percent higher than its pre-crisis level.

Over 3 percent turnover growth for food sector

Shops selling food, beverages and tobacco achieved 3.2 percent more turnover than in 2017. The volume of sales increased by 2.2 percent. Supermarkets saw a turnover growth of almost 4 percent, while turnover of specialist shops declined slightly. Furthermore, the volume of sales generated by supermarkets was up year-on-year, but sales were down for specialist shops.

Online shops realise almost 18 percent turnover growth

In 2018, online shops saw their turnover go up by 17.8 percent relative to 2017. Web shops recorded a turnover increase of more than 13 percent; their core activity is selling goods and services over the Internet. Multi-channel retailers (retailers selling goods and services over the Internet as a side activity) achieved almost 26 percent higher turnover in online sales.

Figures published in this news release are provisional and subject to revision.